Service and Assistance Animals

Assistance Animal (ESA)

Assistance Animals are allowed only within the dwelling unit of their owner as a reasonable accommodation if:

1. the person has a disability;
2. the animal is necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their dwelling; and
3. there is an identifiable relationship or nexus between the disability and the assistance the animal provides.

Please review the Lewis & Clark Service & Assistance Animal Policy and the Animal Control Policy. Please make sure that your animal is not on the Oregon Prohibited Species list before bringing it to campus.

Here are the steps to start that process:

• Review the LC Residential Accommodation Documentation Form

• Talk to your provider about Assistance Animal accommodations that will support you

• Share the LC Residential Accommodation Documentation Form with your provider and ask them to complete it and return it to you or to access@lclark.edu

• If you already have accommodations with our office: Schedule a Zoom or in person appointment with OSA

• If you do not have accommodations with our office: Complete our intake form
• If you are an incoming student (no Lewis & Clark email address or ID number): email access@lclark.edu or call 503-768-7192 to schedule an appointment

During your initial appointment, an OSA staff member will engage with you in an interactive process around your disability, how your disability impacts you in a residential setting, along with exploring reasonable accommodations to support you. It’s helpful when documentation from your provider is submitted before scheduling an initial appointment with OSA.

Once OSA receives and reviews the Assistance Animal Request form and your documentation from a licensed mental health or licensed healthcare provider, we will send you a link to the Assistance Animal Registration form. If you are requesting a dog or a cat as an assistance animal, you must register your assistance animal with Multnomah County.

Once all steps are completed, OSA will notify you whether or not your request for an assistance animal is approved. OSA will also notify Campus Living that your request for an assistance animal is approved. Campus Living will then contact you with information about housing community expectations.

Residential buildings and public sinks and showers are not a reasonable place to bathe an animal on campus.

Here are local grooming locations and bathing options:

Original Bark

Pretty Paws and Claws

Wiggles and Wags Grooming

Cats in the City

*Waterless Bathing Option

Service Animal

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Title II), individuals with disabilities may be accompanied by a Service Animal in all areas of campus where the public is normally allowed to go.

A Service Animal is defined as a dog (or in some cases, a miniature horse) that is individually trained to perform specific tasks directly related to a person’s disability.

While students are not required to register their Service Animal, Lewis & Clark strongly encourages students to contact the Office of Student Accessibility prior to arrival. Doing so helps ensure:

• Support with campus housing placement,

• Planning for academic accommodations,

• Coordination with faculty and staff as needed.